Golden State Warriors Team Report – November 4

(Sports Network) – Golden State’s season opener didn’t go as planned
Wednesday night, as it fell 78-75 to the Portland Trail Blazers at The Arena
in Oakland.

Mike Dunleavy netted 17 points for the Warriors, who lost in the NBA debut of
Mike Montgomery. Golden State’s executive vice president of basketball
operations Chris Mullin decided to turn the Warriors upside down during the
offseason. He fired head coach Eric Musselman and lured Stanford’s Montgomery
away from his cushy college job.

Golden State led by six heading into the final 12 minutes, but the Trail
Blazers outscored the Warriors 25-16 in the final quarter to tally the
victory.

Portland made its first eight shots from the field in the frame and started it
with a 21-7 run. Nick Van Exel capped off the decisive burst on a three-
pointer with 5:40 remaining to put the Blazers ahead, 74-66.

But the Warriors did not quit and scored nine of the next 12 points to cut the
deficit to 77-75 on a trey by Derek Fisher with just under two minutes left.

Golden State had a few chances to tie or even take the lead, but fell short.
With 54.1 seconds left, Dale Davis missed a pair of free throws, but Murphy
got the ball back on an offensive rebound. However, with 40 seconds left, he
missed a jumper, giving the possession back to Portland. It was Murphy’s first
shot of the fourth after going 6-for-9 in the third.

Portland turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, but once again Golden
State could not take advantage. Dunleavy missed an open three-pointer with 3.3
seconds left and the Warriors were forced to foul Zach Randolph. Randolph only
made one of the two shots from the stripe, to keep it a one-possession game.

On a last opportunity to tie it, Dunleavy missed a three-pointer at the horn.

The Warriors only shot 38 percent from the field.

The Warriors dropped to 15-28 in season openers since moving to the West
Coast.

Golden State has a day off before continuing its three-game homestand against
Utah on Friday.